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Faculty Handbook

The Faculty Handbook is a guide to the faculty and is designed to present general information about New York University, and some of the more important University policies and practices as they apply to the Faculty of the University. It is also meant to inform and serve other members of the University community. The Handbook is compiled from a number of sources and is maintained by the Office of the Provost.

The policies outlined in the Faculty Handbook as in effect from time to time form part of the essential employment understandings between members of the Faculty and the University. Other University policies and guidelines are available here. In addition, schools and units have their own internal rules, procedures, and policies, such as School statements on Faculty appointment policies and procedures, particularly those concerning promotion and tenure criteria and review procedures, which may supplement – but do not supersede or replace - policies outlined in this Faculty Handbook unless an exception has been granted by the Board of Trustees or President.

As of spring 2012, the Faculty Handbook is available in a digital searchable format, thus enhancing access and usability. The text of the Handbook on the Web includes hyperlinks to University policies and resources available on NYU Web sites. Readers can navigate through the interactive version by clicking on an item in the Table of Contents, or access and print the Handbook as a PDF document by clicking on the right.

The process for amending the Faculty Handbook, which was approved by the University Board of Trustees is outlined within the Faculty Handbook in the Foreword. The history of the Faculty Handbook is preserved in the Archive of Faculty Handbooks, Archive of Amendments to the Text of the 2012 Digital Faculty Handbook, and Archive of Amendments to University Policies Accessed from Links in the Faculty Handbook. Members of the NYU community can navigate through these three archives by clicking below to view the materials contained therein.

In accordance with the Foreword, Procedures for Amending the Faculty Handbook, this current edition of the Faculty Handbook was reviewed by the Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty Senators Council and the Full-Time Non-Tenure Track/Contract Faculty Senators Council, each of which provided input.

Archives

Archive of Faculty Handbooks

Since 2012, the Faculty Handbook is posted online in a digital searchable format. Previously, the Handbook was published as a paper document, and addenda or amendments were announced and/or distributed to the NYU community. The current and past editions of the Faculty Handbook can be accessed below.

March 2015 EditionPurpose in releasing a new edition: To update the Faculty Handbook to incorporate University Bylaws approved by the University Board of Trustees and effective September 1, 2014, including Bylaws identifying three categories of Faculty and establishing the Full-Time Non-Tenure Track/Contract Faculty Senators Council.

April 2014 EditionPurpose in releasing a new edition: To amend the Foreword to the Faculty Handbook to revise the existing section, "Purpose of the Handbook" and add a new section, "Amending the Faculty Handbook," as reviewed by Faculty Senators Council and approved by University Board of Trustees, March 14, 2014.

February 2014 EditionPurpose in releasing a new edition: To incorporate amendments to University Bylaws approved by University Board of Trustees, December 18, 2013.

February 2013 EditionPurpose in releasing a new edition: To incorporate the Principles of Shared Governance reviewed by Faculty Senators Council and approved by University Board of Trustees, December 12, 2012.

April 2012 EditionPurpose in releasing a new edition: To make the Handbook available in a digital searchable format providing links to University policies and resources available on NYU websites, while permitting readers to access and print the Handbook as a PDF document. To incorporate amendments to University Bylaws approved by University Board of Trustees, September 2011.

2008 EditionPurpose in releasing a new edition: To incorporate amendments to the University Bylaws approved by University Board of Trustees in 2001, 2003, and 2006. To update the text in introductory sections, including the President’s Letter, History and Traditions of the University and University Traditions, the University Senate, Libraries and NYU Press, Public Affairs, the Office for University Development and Alumni Relations; and other sections including Title I of the Academic Freedom and Tenure Statement, Faculty Titles, Responsibilities of the Faculty Member, Leave of Absence, Faculty Resource Network, The Center for Teaching Excellence, NYU Code of Ethical Conduct, Affirmative Action Policy, Preventing Threatening Behavior in the Workplace, Guidelines for Sponsored Research, and Statement of Policy on Smoking.

Archive of Amendments to the Text of the Faculty Handbook

The text of the Faculty Handbook is changed from time to time. Redline changes to the text that have been made since the 2012 Edition of the digital Faculty Handbook can be accessed below. Redline changes to University policies that are accessed from links to the Handbook can be viewed here.

MARCH 2015: UPDATES TEXT TO INCORPORATE UNIVERSITY BYLAWS EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

Action: Amends the Handbook to incorporate University Bylaws as amended by the University Board of Trustees, and cited in the Handbook.Posted: March 1, 2015Issuing Authority: ProvostSupersedes: April 2014 HandbookHistory: Amendments to University Bylaws approved by University Board of Trustees June 11, 2014, effective September 1, 2014. Faculty Handbook approved by University Board of Trustees February 19, 2015 and issued March 1, 2015. Both the Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty Senators Council and the Full-Time Non-Tenure Track/Contract Faculty Senators Council reviewed the Faculty Handbook and provided input.

Action: Amends the Foreword to the Faculty Handbook to revise the existing section, "Purpose of the Handbook" and add a new section, "Amending the Faculty Handbook."Posted: April 25, 2014Issuing Authority: Office of the ProvostHistory: Reviewed by Faculty Senators Council; approved by University Board of Trustees, March 14, 2014.

FEBRUARY 2014: UPDATES TEXT TO INCORPORATE UNIVERSITY BYLAWS APPROVED DECEMBER 2013

Action: Updates the numbering of the University Bylaws as amended by University Board of Trustees in December 2013 and cited in the Handbook. Incorporates by temporary footnote (Page 11) the "Interim Amendment to the Amended and Restated Bylaws with Respect to Senate Representation for the University’s Polytechnic School of Engineering,” that amends the composition of the University Senate beginning on January 1, 2014 through August 31, 2014. Additional changes to the text are: Updating Bylaw 34 (Page 8), updating Bylaw 70 to add Polytechnic School of Engineering to the list of Schools (Page 13), correcting a typo (Page 43), and inserting the date of the most recent amendment to University Bylaws (Page 44).Posted: March 1, 2014Issuing Authority: Office of the Secretary of the UniversitySupersedes: University Bylaws amended September 1, 2011
History: All Bylaw amendments approved by University Board of Trustees, December 18, 2013; Bylaw 70, among other amendments, approved by University Senate and Faculty Senators Council.

FEBRUARY 2013: AMENDMENTS TO INCORPORATE PRINCIPLES OF JOINT SHARED GOVERNANCE

APRIL 2012: UPDATES TEXT TO INCORPORATE UNIVERSITY BYLAWS APPROVED SEPTEMBER 2011

Action: Updates the numbering of the University Bylaws as amended by University Board of Trustees in September 2011. Includes by link all Selected Policies Concerning the Protection of Rights and Other Matters; replaces policies that were superseded since the 2008 Faculty Handbook:

Archive of Amendments to University Policies Accessed from Links in the Faculty Handbook

The digital Faculty Handbook includes “Selected University Policies” that are incorporated by link to the University Policies and Guidelines website. Links in the Faculty Handbook are updated as necessary when policies are added, amended, or superseded. University policies that have been added or amended and policies that have been superseded since the release of the digital 2012 Handbook can be accessed below.